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Saturn and it’s Greatest Discoveries

You may only know Saturn as a planet that is in our solar system, but Saturn is so much more than what we see. It’s a gigantic planet with beautiful rings and the secrets that it holds may teach us more about Earth than we would ever have learned without it. Scientists have discovered many interesting and important facts that have helped them understand more of our solar system. I hope this information will help you to draw your own conclusions on this wonderful planet.

I. Discoveries and thoughts of Saturn Many astronomers studied the wonders of Saturn, including important people like Galileo Galilei. He first saw Saturn through a very weak telescope by modern standards. This lead to Galileo thinking that Saturn was a triple planet (see at diagram). The two “ears” were actually the rings of Saturn which was one of the first views of rings in planets. There was also another scientist who was named Domenico Cassini who also discovered many things but his discoveries were more about natural satilites/moons and rings.

We have also sent probes to Saturn to gather information. So far there have only been three probes and one fly by probe that also received information. Even though only 4 have gone, the information they received is very important The first probe was Pioneer 11 that was sent in 1979. This probe found six of the eight rings that are around Saturn. After this there were two other space probes that were called the Voyager 1 and 2, which found the seventh ring, and then there were tem more moons. Finally that was a probe named Huygens that was sent to study Saturn’s biggest planet, Titan. It also found the eighth ring and many more moons.

II.What is so special about Saturn's ring? Saturn is the planet with then most vivid and visible rings. Rings are made of particles of ice and rocks with a various sizes. In total, there are 8 rings found by different probes. The rings are Rings; A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and the Phoebe Dust Ring. Between the rings there are gaps which were named after famous scientist important to astrology The gaps are; Colombo gap, Maxwell gap, Bond gap, Dawes gap, Cassini gap, Huygens gaps, Hersechel gap, Russel gap, Jeffrey’s gap, Kuiper gap, Laplace gap, Bessel gap, Barnard gap, Encke gap, Keeler gap, Roche division. In total 16 gaps which are said to be caused by the gravitational pull of one of its moons, Mimas.

III. Saturn's biggest moon Titan Many people think that moons from other planets can’t help us learn more about of own planet Earth, but Saturn’s largest planet Titan may hold the secret to Ancient Earth’s atmosphere. Scientist believe that Earth’s atmosphere started out how Titan’s is currently. Regularly, moons don’t have their own atmosphere because they aren’t big enough, but Titan has a greater volume than the planet Mercury. Because of this they believed that it has an atmosphere. They were right; Titan has an atmosphere that is made up of organic compounds, methane, and other hydrocarbons (Elements from the periodic table that only have hydrogen and carbon). The only problem is that because Saturn is so far away from the sun the cold temperature preclude (not allow) Titan from having life especially water that is not a problem for Earth because it is closer to the Sun. Scientist do have to hypothesis of how Titan can be able two sustain life is: 1) If biology would take hold of the situation and alter some parts and evolve them. 2) If liquid methane would take the place of water in its cells and other biological parts and would be able to give life to other natural life..

IV. Amazing planet or Ordinary planet? Saturn is very important all in it’s self not just because it is the second most largest planet. Like for example did you know that Saturn is 9 times greater than Earth’s diameter and only 85% of Jupiters. Also virtually no light from the Sun hits Saturn as it only receives 1% of the sunlight that Earth receives from the sun, which is very little. Saturn is also the only planet in which it’s density is less than water which means, scientificly that if you dropped Saturn in water then Saturn would float instead of sink. It also has a very strong hexagonal wind system on Saturn’s North pole found by Cassini. This is very strong because Saturn has no solid surface so the winds won’t get weaker as oppose to Earth which has land so once a hurricane land on it, it weakens. This reason is also why scientist can’t figure out when it is going to end.

Saturn’s Gravity is also very different than other planets. Its gravity is actually almost the same as Earth’s because of its low density. For example 100 pounds on Earth would practically equal 107 pounds on Saturn. This may seem as it is easy to get on Saturn but the pressure that it has is strong enough to crush you, because it can easily crush a plane if it tries to land. Some of the reason in which this is, is because it is a Gas Giant and absorbed a lot of gas but the density isn’t of gas isn’t heavy enough.

As you read, scientist know a lot about this extraordinary planet but we still need to learn so much more. As technology is being advanced as we speak, scientist will find a new way to uncover more about Saturn and its moons. I hope that by reading this I have informed you more than you knew and have gotten you interested in the unknown of our solar system and its planets including Saturn and what lies beyond it.

Bibliography

Lunine, Jonathan I. ‘Saturn’. World Book Advanced. World Book, 2010. Web 20 Dec 2010

Hubbard, William B. “ Saturn (planet)” Brtannica Encyclopedia

Landau, Elaine. Saturn. Danbury : Children’s Press, 2008.

Carson, Marky Kay. Exploring The Solar Sytem. Chicago : Chicago Review Press, Incorperated, 2006

“Planets.” ‘Solar System Exploration. Ed. Phil Davis. Nasa, 19 Nov. 2010. Web. 07 Dec, 2010. <http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/index.cfms

Huygensgcms.gsfc.nasa.gov/Shistory.htm. Photograph.

Picasaweb.google.com/imanandr/Collection. Photograph.